Wall structure embodying panel units



May 2, 1950 A. w. MADGER 2,505,902

- WALL STRUCTURE EMBODYING PANEL uuz'rs Filed Nov. 25, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2,

f flak? 15 6 /I '/I z] g x 2 I jfl/ 7 .12 4 5 Patented May 2 195% STATES TENT GFFICE WALL STRUCTURE EMBODYING PANEL UNITS Arthur Wakefield Madger, New Malden, England 5 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in or relating to panel units for wall building, and wall structures embodying such panel units, and has for its object to simplify and expedite the building of walls and structures from preformed panel units and posts or other vertical panelsupporting elements.

A particular object of the invention is so to form a panel unit and supporting elements therefor as to enable the panel unit to be swung into position from a lateral direction whilst using a salient part of a panel supporting element of simple form as a fulcrum axis, and to effect interlocl: of the panel unit with the said supporting element by the operation of thus swinging the panel unit into position. A further ob ject is to enable either one of a pair of similarly constructed panel-supporting elements to be thus used as a fulcrum axis whilst allowing the other panel-supporting element simply to provide a bedding face for the distant end of the panel unit, the construction of the panel unit ensuring that same will assume an erected position in a plane containing the two panel-supporting elements. a vertical set can have interlock with one supporting element, and others of the set can have interlock with the other supporting element, all of the panel units coming into the same vertical plane, the interlock with the supporting elements taking place alternately at different ends throughout the set. Additionally, the panel units formed to interlock with one another. In cons uence, a wall structure can be built which self-supporting and does not necessitate the employment of cement or like bonding material, these advantages being gained without having to raise the panel units above the top of the supporting elements and then lower them into place.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in Figures 1 to 11 of the accompanying drawings;

a schedule of these figures is given in the following description.

Referring firstly to Figures 8 and 9 of the drawings, these are a plan and end views of a panel unit constructed according to one embodiment of the invention, Figure 3 also showing the supporting posts in cross section, and Figure 9 showing portions of adjacent panel units. The panel unit 15 is formed at the top with a rib l2 having inclined sides and accordingly being of inverted V- formation. At the bottom, the panel unit is (formed with a corresponding inverted V-shaped groove l3 which is complementary to the rib [2 Thus, certain panel units of gof the panel unit next below, such engagement providing for interlock of the mutually adjacent panel units. The said rib l 2 and groove I3 do not extend to the outer faces of the panel unit but are arranged to leave marginal horizontal coplanar seating portions id on the respective sides of said rib and groove. The rib and complementary groove may have any cross-sectional shape or form other than that shown; for instance (a) the rib may reach to the outer face of the panel unit so as to omit the seating portions it, (b) the rib may have a flattened top, (0) the rib may be of arcuate section, or (d) the rib may have parallel vertical sides. Reference denotes a v-groove formed in one end of the panel unit for engagin' a post 5, and reference 6 denotes a flange for bedding on to another post to. The different panel units of a vertical set can be arranged all in the same way so that the grooves of all units engage the same post 5 and are swung into position from the same lateral direction to cause their flanges s to bed on to the post 5a; this avoids the space I being formed on the outside of an external wall. However, when this is not of consequence it is preferred for alternate panel units to be arranged as shown and for the intervening units to be reversed end-for-end so that the grooves of said intervening units engage post So, and their flanges 6 bed on to post 5, consecutive panel units thus being brought into position from opposite lateral directions. The chamfer E5 of the post provides clearance for swinging the panel units into position.

Figures 1, 2 and 3 illustrate a panel unit of another form, Figure 1 being a front elevation, Figure 2 a plan view which also shows supporting posts for the panel units and Figure 3 an end view showing two panel units interengaged. The panel unit shown has stepped top and bottom edges l, t with inclined riser portions 3. Reference t indicates a V-groove formed in one end of the panel unit for engaging on post 5, and reference 5 indicates a flange for the bedding on the other post 511.

The spaces 1 which occur alternately on opposite sides of the completed wall can be subsecuently filled unless the wall is to be covered with facing material. Where it is desired to use stepped interlock panel units in building an outside wall it is preferred to provide panel units of modified form which are constructed to avoid forming such spaces on the outer face of the wall, the spaces occurring only on the inner face. Also, for an outside wall it is desirable for all of the stepped interlock joints to extend upwardly from .3 the outside of the wall instead of some upwardly and some downwardly, thereby to exclude weather as far as possible. Accordingly, there may be provided panel units of the form shown in Figures 4, and 6, which are elevation, plan and end views respectively. Figure 5 shows the manner of post engagement and Figure 6 shows interengagement of the panel units, reference adenoting the outside surface of the wall. The panel units can be of identical construction if V- grooves t provided at one end are all to engage the same post, but if the V-grooves 4 of successive panel units are to engage different poststhen panel units of two different pat erns will be provided, units difiering only by reversing the V-grooves and -llanges. The panel units, :of the form shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6, will all be brought into position from the same lateral -.direction. If a wall only one panel thick is to be built, then the spaces 1 which appear only on the *insi'de-of'the wall can be filled in or covered by lining sheets. However, if the wall forms the "outer leaf of a cavity wall, then the spaces will be exposed in e cavity and this will be of no account. Likewise, a wall forming the inner leaf of a cavity wall canbe built from panel units of the same form having the spaces l exposed in the 'cavity.

For thecarrying of one'wall at an angle to and with another wall and for cruciformjoints where three or four wall sections meet one anot er, panel units of any of the above described fo ns can be used providing that posts of sufficient thickness are used to prevent the checks of grooves of different wall'sections obstructing one :another at the junction in the case where panel *units having \/grooves are used. Figure '3 is a "plan view of a cruciform joint at which th e provided 'a post *5 having diagonal dim. isions exceeding the thickness of the panel units in "order-to attain this result.

Figure shows how Figure 3 can be modified for-interlock ofpanel units by sloping the upper and lower edges i and '2 of the panel units throughout their thickness.

Interlock locating means for the panel units at the upper and lower extremities of a vertical comprise a ribbed or recessed bar or thelilre 'suitablyfixed to the posts or to a crosspiece, base *or other structural part or may comprise a retaining'member composed of two halves adapted tobe screwed together to reside on opposite sides of ti 3 structure, said halves'combining to form -a V-groove at each end for post engagement. Figure ll, which is a fragmentary cross-sectional view through a wall built from-the panel units shows, by way of example, a ribbed bar iii secured to the floor for locating the lowermost panel unit s Land a top retaining member composed of two halves i? secured together and shaped so that conjointly they form a *groove for locating the uppermost panel unit 11', said parts ll having ends shaped so that conjointly they form grooves for engaging the vertical posts.

The interengagem'ent of panels'by a rib or equivalentsalient formation on one with a groove "of another as shown in Figure 9 gives a locking effect resisting lateral displacement of a panel in zbothkdirections with respect to an adjacent panel as contrasted with interengagement by ..rabbetted .orinclined edges'giving mutual overlap, whiohiresist displacement in one direction only. In manycases it is no defect that the panel :in'terengagement .means resists displacement in one :direction only, since means'provided on the a oSv panels for abutting the posts or like supporting means resist displacement in the other directions. In the construction illustrated in Figures 4, 5 and 6, displacement in a specified direction is not resisted at a particular corner where two adjacent edges meet, that is, the left-hand bottom corner in Figure 4; this may be of no consequence if the construction is applied to the building of one wall component of a cavity wall providing that the force for displacement would have to be exerted from within the cavity, since no such pressure is likely to be imposed from that direction. However, the construction shown in Figures 8 and 9 .has the advantage that no tendency for displacement can arise.

The panel units :and posts or the like can be made of any suitable material or combination of materials and the panel units may be solid or of hollow form.

As will be understood, the panel units become fixed in place without the necessity for using separate looking or securing means and the invention provides for easy and rapid erection of .a structure.

As an alternative to chamfering the posts 5 and 5a to provide clearance for swinging the panel units into position, the edge of the panel unit which defines one side of the gap '1 may be sloped off for the samepurpose.

The essential characteristic feature consists in providing each panel unit witha groove i at one end and with a simpleseating shoulder .6 at the otherend. The panelis fitted in place by press-- ing its groove end against one post and using such post asa fulcrum whilst swinging the panel unit into position from a lateral'direction until its opposite edge bears on the next post. When the panel unit is in position its grooved end so embraces the adjacent post as to have interlocking engagement therewith, the panel unit thus becoming firmly anchored at one end.

As an alternative to the posts having relatively inclined flat surf aces on opposite sides (e. g. being substantially diamond-shaped in crosssection) they may be of circular or arcuate section, the groove 4 and shoulder ii of each panel unit being of correspondingly curved shape. Although in general the vertical members against which the panel units are supported will be in the form of posts, it is to be understood that the panel unitscan be used in conjunction with any other members shaped as above set forth with reference to the posts to allow the panel units to be fitted in the manner described.

I claim: 1. .A wallstructure'comprising a pair of panelsupporting members erected in spaced-apart relation and each including a saiientp'art coplanar with and extending toward theother part,

and a set of panel units, each unit having in one vertical'end a vertical groove receiving the salient part of one of said members-and having at the opposite end a single flange lying substantially to one side of a median plane bisecting'the'thickness of a panel unit and being beveled on its inn r converging with the larger faceofthepanel for engagementwith the salient part of theother member and having stop formations on its top and bottom edges to engage with like forinations on adjacent panel units to prevent after positioning relative horizontal movement of adjacent panel units.

2. A wall structure according to claim 1, and wherein the panelsupporting'members have angular front and rear faces, and the groove of a panel unit is V-shaped.

3. A panel unit according to claim 1, wherein each stop formation comprises outer horizontal surfaces disposed at different elevations and a sloping center surface connecting said horizontal surfaces.

4. A wall structure according to claim 1, wherein the grooves of alternat panel units are engaged with one of the supporting members and the grooves of the remaining alternate panel units are engaged with the other supporting member.

5. A wall structure according to claim 1, wherein the grooves of alternate panel units are engaged with one of the supporting members and the grooves of the remaining alternate panel units are engaged with the other supporting member, the flanges of the said first alternate set bearing against the said second supporting member on one side of the structure, and the flanges of said second alternate set bearing against the said first supporting member on the other side of the structure.

ARTHUR WAIGIFIELD MADGER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 459,857 Olcott Sept. 22, 1891 710,830 Zimmerman et al. Oct. 7, 1902 791,291 Roberts May 30, 1905 1,150,967 Robinson Aug. 24, 1915 1,478,917 Ross Dec. 25, 1923 1,500,808 Fuhrmann July 8, 1924 1,842,828 Giuliani Jan. 26 1932 1,899,091 Higley Feb. 281, 1933 2,094,458 Lawler Sept. 28, 1937 2,139,641 Neumeister Dec. 6, 1938 2,192,970 Groth Mar. 12, 1940 2,311,951 Marshall Feb. 23,. 1943 2,325,694 Marshall Aug. 3, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 236,259 Great Britain June 29, 1925 617,633 France 1926 

